We designed our house for maximum height to take advantage of the great location atop a ridge, so it has four levels including the pier and beam foundation which has five to six feet of walk space. It allows for the correct amount of Glazing (windows) on the South side for solar heat gain. It is also a stable physical design offering wide-open space inside and plenty of natural lighting.  It feels almost like being outside. The elevated design offers storage under the house. (click on pix for larger picture.)

The home has a unique entry room or mud room which provides a buffer zone from the outside.  Likewise, the entrance to the pool has a laundry and changing room with a vinyl floor which is an ideal transition zone between the pool and the inside of the house.  There are over 1,000 square feet of decks on three levels surrounding the house, most of these are covered for shade in the summer and protection from the rains.  The decks overlook the pool area and look out toward Austin.

I also analyzed human traffic patterns inside the house. It took at least a dozen iterations of the floor-plan to get the right balance.  There are two staircases and two hallways which provide separation of the rooms.  So the rooms stay quiet and well separated from each other.

I also wanted to be able to see the stars and the surrounding countryside.  So I created an "observatory" room with twelve windows and a second and third level deck that faces West, toward Austin and the Airport.  At night you can see the planes sweep in way in the distance and the towers of Bee Cave road like little miniatures on the horizon.  There is nothing in the way of your view in all directions and no sounds except the chirping of insects, the singing of birds and the baying of some marauding coyotes wandering the woods way off in the distance.

The framed structure is traditional yellow pine, but cross-bracing in the walls and floors is almost double the normal amount. Under all the heavy interior items (tub, washer) the floor joists are doubled. All sub-flooring and sub-roofing is nailed and glued. 

The foundation is exceptionally solid and includes a perimeter concrete wall with stucco siding. A whole set of additional diagonal bracing between piers was added for twist rigidity. It's massive under there. This elevated design also allows for ample storage space under the house. The central AC, ducting and many other things are totally accessible and easy to work on. Additional wiring of any type can easily be added as well.

The living/dining area is 16' x 32' with 14' ceilings and continues to the kitchen. The Kitchen is designed to afford two rows of people chatting at parties (where they normally gather!) (Kitchen Video) It has ample counter space and all the normal appliances.  We spent a fortune on Corian counters and glass faced cabinets and we got Home Depots finest kitchen ensemble.  We spent weeks designed it for optimum kitchen efficiency and flow.

The master bedroom is 15.5' x 12'. It has a large walk in closets with additional storage above for seasonal wear. A sliding glass door leads onto the deck. (Inside views video)

The bathroom is really large and unique. It features a whirlpool tube big enough for two people and it has a view from the shower/tub out to the pool and the third level deck.  One of our neighbors who is a master tile setter created a tile enclosure for the shower and whirlpool tub. Click here to see Bathroom video.

The second bedroom is 13'x12'. It is perfect for a study. Third bedroom is a 16'x16' room with 10' apex ceiling. It is acoustically isolated from the rest of the house and although it is currently our crafts room, it would serve as a great master bedroom. It features track lighting and a new stained glass window. This room could also serve as a superb large office.

If this house had typical eight foot ceilings, it would seem smaller. The large cubic volume of this house gives it a much larger feel than it's floor footprint. With the totally open air above you and light coming in- it is the antithesis of a clone tract house.

A new native garden was installed last year designed by the master horticulturist, Dorothy Epp. Everything blooms! We used over 13 cubic yards of precisely specified soil blend and five cubic yards of mulch. A small second cistern up front helps water these new beds. Just finished is a three foot wide gravel walkway around the gardens. The smell of night jasmine comes up onto the front deck and  its scent wafts into the master bedroom in the summertime. The east side of the house has giant plants which bloom fragrantly. Want to see some of our blooms?

The driveway winds up 300+ feet from the road and affords total privacy. 

I walked the entire farm that had been cut up for sale in 1981. I selected this property because it had little road frontage, a perfect building site, had Cedar Creek frontage on two sides and was partially wooded. It also backs up onto thousands of acres of  family-owned ranches along Cedar Creek. Privacy, stability and beauty were my criteria in choosing this property. From the upper deck at night, you can see the city lights of Austin and Bastrop.

From design to execution, all went as planned and resulted in a well-balanced and easy-living home. It's a great refuge from the city and very easy and inexpensive to maintain.

Click here for some general pictures of the place.